Stephen A. Smith inks a 5-year $40 million contract with ESPN

Source: Lachlan Cunningham / Getty

Stephen A. Smith Becomes ESPN’s Highest-Paid Employee With New Contract

Stephen A. Smith is a hard-working brotha. ESPN trots out their loveable and loquacious analyst at damn near every turn. SAS wakes up bright and early to record “First Take”, does radio simulcast “The Stephen A. Smith Show”, covers the NBA, does “Sportscenter”, appears on “Get Up” some mornings, hell, we’ve even seen him reporting live at boxing matches. He might be ESPN’s most recognizable face and surely its most recognizable voice.

All that work deserves proper compensation, and to call his new deal “proper” is an understatement.

According to Yahoo! Sports, after months of negotiating, Stephen A. is now filthy f***ing rich. ESPN has agree to break off the basketball-lovin’ brotha off nearly $8 million per year over a 5-year contract. If you’re doing the math at home that is damn near $40 million.

The 51-year-old has been a staple of the network since 2005 and is now it’s highest-paid personality ever, eclipsing Mike Greenberg’s $6.5 million per year.

Get paid, middle-aged brotha, get paid!